There is only one road to Luderitz, and bulldozers battle to keep it open through the shifting sands of the Namib. Meanwhile, on the coast, the beautiful buildings of this historic German town sit unchanged. Lüderitz has an atmosphere all of its own: gentle, relaxed, some say sleepy.

If you visit, then stay for at least two nights. Take a trip to one of the deserted mining towns nearby, or drive yourself to the peninsula where Bartolomeu Diaz, the Portuguese explorer, became the first European in Southern Africa. If you have more time, don't miss the boat trip to the penguin colony on Halifax Island or the chance to explore further into the Sperrgebiet.

Where to stay in Lüderitz

Some visit Lüderitz from a base in Aus; others stay in town for a few days. The accommodation in Lüderitz is fairly ordinary, although many of its restaurants offer excellent fresh and inexpensive seafood. Places to stay here include:

Sea-View zum Sperrgebiet

A 10 minutes' walk from the town centre, overlooking the harbour, Zum Sperrgebiet Seaview is a comfortable, quite modern hotel, with 22 en-suite twin rooms. Main facilities include a restaurant, a bar, a sauna, and heated swimming pool, set in an atrium with high glass windows. (Read more about Zum Sperrgebiet Seaview…)

Nest Hotel

Nest Hotel stands beside its own stretch of private beach, and is a fairly large complex with 73 guest rooms; all rooms are en-suite and sea facing. Here you'll also find one of the best restaurants in Lüderitz – the Penguin Restaurant, known for its delicious seafood dishes. (Read more about Nest Hotel…)

Haus Sandrose

In the heart of Lüderitz, Haus Sandrose is a small self-catering option, with two double rooms and one family flat. Activities include strolls to the town's attractions (e.g. Goeke House, Felsenkirche), Sedina boat trips, excursions to Kolmanskop Ghost Town, and day trips to the Bogenfels. (Please ask our experts for details about Haus Sandrose...)

Island Cottage

Island Cottages is a small self-catering place, set on the windswept peninsula of Shark Island. It has only two apartments, both with fully equipped kitchens, as well as lovely gardens with private sitting areas and barbeque facilities to share with the owners. (Read more about Island Cottage…)

Boat trips from Lüderitz

The Sedina, a schooner, runs excellent two-to three-hour voyages to see the large colony of African penguins, off the protected Halifax Island. These leave from the harbour at around 8.00am, weather permitting.

These trips are often excellent for sightings of heavyside dolphins and seabirds, whilst a nearby colony of Cape fur seals is always entertaining. The informative guide is usually full of tales of Lüderitz as well as the wildlife.

Where to stay in Aus

If your time is short, then base yourself at Aus, a tiny outpost on the edge of the desert, 125km east of Luderitz. Here, Klein Aus Vista covers 150km² of beautiful mountains and desert scenery. It's a place to be active; you can hike around the mountains or marked trails, join excursions in search of wild desert horses, drive yourself to Lüderitz for a day, or take a guided 4WD trip into a remote southern part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. There are a few places to stay, including:

Eagle's Nest

Deep into the mountains, the delightful Eagle's Nest is a small, secluded option. It has just eight individual rock chalets, built around enormous granite boulders. Each has a fireplace, a kitchenette, a small lounge, an en-suite bathroom and a private veranda. (Read more about Eagle's Nest…)

The Desert Horse Inn

The Desert Horse Inn was once an old farmstead; now it has 24 rooms – four of which are part of the original farmhouse – a restaurant, a curio shop, and a lovely shaded outside deck. It's a perfect base for those planning to visit Lüderitz. (Read more about Desert Horse Inn…)

The Sperrgebiet

From Lüderitz to the South African border, a huge area of the Namib Desert has been off-limits for decades. The Sperrgebiet, which literally translates as 'the forbidden zone', covers an enormous 26,000km² (20% larger than Wales!). It protects endless desert plains, treacherous shifting sands and the secrets of ghost towns, abandoned relics of communities that sprang up at the turn of the century, fuelled by a diamond-rush.

The closest of these ghost towns, Kolmanskop, is easy to access in your own car; it's a ten-minute drive from Lüderitz (an hour's drive from Aus). Kolmanskop was abandoned almost 50 years ago and its buildings lie empty, some partially engulfed by the shifting dunes.

Alternatively, if booked well in advance, we can arrange full-day trips deeper into the Sperrgebiet, including Bogenfels Rock Arch, the ghost town of Pomona, and the Idatel Valley – where diamonds were once famously collected by the handful in the moonlight.


^ Top of page